In a momentous event for millions of Hindus, the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is set to take place on January 22. This sacred occasion will be live-streamed at Times Square in New York City, allowing people across the globe to witness the historic event. Additionally, the ceremony will be broadcast at various Bharat embassies, consulates worldwide, and thousands of temples and booths in Bharat.
Bharat Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who performed the ground-breaking ceremony in August 2020, is expected to attend the consecration ceremony and address devotees both in Bharat and abroad. The preparations for the ceremony are being closely monitored by the Prime Minister, who is following all religious protocols.
The consecration ceremony, also known as Pran-Pratishtha, involves the ritual of infusing life into the idol of the deity. This sacred task will be performed by High Priest Lakshmi Kant Dixit from Varanasi. During the ceremony, Vedic mantras will be chanted, and prayers will be offered to Lord Ram. The culmination of a week-long Amrit Mahautsav, starting on January 16, will include various Vedic rituals and a 1008 Hundi Mahayagya, where thousands of devotees will be fed.
The idol of Lord Ram, a 51-inch tall Krishna Shila (black stone) statue, has been chosen for its divine, royal, and childlike qualities. Adorned with a sacred thread (Yagopavit), the idol will be placed on a lotus-shaped platform inside the Garbh Grah (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple. The old Ram Lalla statue, worshipped for decades at the makeshift temple, will be placed before the new one and referred to as “Utsav Ram.”
The unveiling of the new statue, with its eye cover opened by PM Modi, is scheduled for January 22. However, the exact time for the live-streaming is yet to be announced.
The consecration of the Ram Temple holds immense significance for the Hindu community, symbolizing the fulfillment of a long-standing demand and a legal victory. The temple is being constructed at the site where the 16th-century Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992, leading to communal riots. In November 2019, the Supreme Court of India ruled in favor of the Hindus, paving the way for the construction of the temple.
The live broadcast of the consecration ceremony at Times Square in New York City is expected to showcase the cultural and spiritual heritage of Bharat. This will not be the first time Lord Ram’s presence has been displayed at Times Square, as a digital billboard of the Ram Temple was featured during the Bhoomi Pujan in August 2020.
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